A Keller Christmas
by Alyssax23
Summary: The Holidays have arrived in Tree Hill, and Red Bedroom Records needs a breakthrough Christmas album (and quick). Chris Keller knows just the guy... himself. When he realizes he'll be working with beautiful and talented Mia Catalano, will Christmas bring out the worst or the best in him? - Chris/Mia One-shot


**So this is a one-shot Christmas present for my best friend, Kasey. She's been there for me through everything, and together we've written the cutest couples. One of them being Chia, I figured this would fit the holiday spirit!**

* Enjoy, review, fav & all that good stuff!

A Keller Christmas

The long, dexterous fingers of one lanky musician nonchalantly twirled around the set of keys around the chain holder filled with all types of tacky Christmas key chains.

Christmas season had arrived in the small town of Tree Hill, and so had Chris Keller.

He had heard from a few mouths that Haley James Scott was running Red Bedroom Records on her own now that Peyton and Lucas had left town, and he took that as a perfect opportunity to do what Chris Keller did best – interfere…

…_with no shame._

"Haley James," Chris rasped with that wide, cocky smile that showed he was up to no good.

"Haley James _Scott_," Haley corrected with her back turned to the person that was addressing her. She was leaning forward on her desk with both arms extended out to hold her up when she let the familiar voice process in her mind. "Wait…" She turned around, shock written all over her face when her eyes confirmed Chris Keller was in her presence.

"Oh God, uh uh! I am married with a son!" Haley exclaimed before he could say or do anything sly.

Chris grinned and he tilted his head, "Chris Keller missed you. And Chris Keller also knows that you're in desperate need of an experienced artist… And Chris Ke-"

"And Chris Keller has been here for forty seconds and has already given me a headache," Haley groaned and she walked past him. "What makes you think I'd hire you just like that?"

"Because I'm sexy and you're pretty decent for a woman that's had a kid," Chris commented as he walked over to her desk and picked up a piece of paper. He smirked when she walked over and snatched it away, "Us good lookin' people have that bond, you know?"

Haley just rolled her eyes and looked over her shoulder at him, "I have one of my artists coming in at any moment to record a Christmas cover. Could you find someone else to homewreck in the next five minutes?"

"Still blunt as ever," Chris muttered under his voice. That artist she was referring to walked in just seconds later, her eyes meeting Chris's. His jaw almost dropped to the floor. "Whoa."

"Hey Mia," Haley said with a light smile as she walked over to her. "Sorry I didn't know I was having any visitors today. This is Ch-"

"Christopher Alan Keller," the lanky man said as he brushed right past Haley and took Mia's hand in his. He lifted it to his lips and kissed it softly, "The pleasure's all mine. And you are?"

"Mia Catalano," the short brunette answered, laughing confusingly at the scene unfolding before her. She gave the two a look before stepping back, "I'm gonna go get set up for the song."

The second she was away, Haley pointed a finger at Chris, "Don't you dare. She's too innocent!"

"So were you," Chris retorted with a wink. "They all are before Chris Keller gets a hold of them."

"If you're not gone by the time she's done her song…" Haley narrowed her eyes. She didn't really have a threat for him.

Moments later, Mia's soft and gentle voice was sounding through the recording studio. Haley knew that the record needed to get involved holiday wise. She picked the song Silent Night and knew that it was risky because of the high notes, but Mia had the talent. Something just seemed off… It wasn't original enough.

"_Silent night, holy night. All is calm, all is bright. Round yon Virgin Mother and Child."_

Chris licked his bottom lip and he started to sing along with her though only Haley could hear, _"Holy infant so tender and mild. Sleep in heavenly peace."_

Haley looked over at Chris and then back at Mia, listening to both of their voices meld together: _"Sleep in heavenly peace." _She couldn't deny that they sounded perfect together. It was just what she needed – it was original. Somehow his raspy voice fit her gentle one like a puzzle piece.

"How was that?" Mia asked with a wide smile as she entered the room with them. Haley just stared at Chris and Chris stared back with a cocky smirk. "Was I that bad that you two zoned me out half way through?"

"I have an idea," Haley stated after a moment.

*** * Chia * ***

Three weeks had passed by and it was inching closer to Christmas. Haley signed Chris (she thought it over with herself constantly), and now he and Mia were working on not just one song but a whole Christmas CD together.

Mia tried to keep her distance outside of the business aspect of things, and Chris surprisingly didn't act arrogant (well he didn't act _as_ arrogant as usual; it _is_ still Chris Keller).

It was snowing in the comforting town that still gave off that warm feeling even during the coldest of days. Haley insisted that Mia and Chris take some time off for the holidays, but Mia was even more insistent on getting her work done.

"Oh my gosh, Mia," Chris whined as he walked forward with two hard stomps. He sighed and looked at the clock, "It's four nights before Christmas and we're working at 9pm. Where's the justice in that, midget?"

Mia gave him a look, "Just because you're a giant doesn't make me a midget."

"Sure it does," Chris said as he ran a hand through his dark brown hair. "Come on, Catalano. Don't you want to live a little?" Her silence answered that and he walked over to her and easily hoisted her up over his shoulder, "Okay you're definitely the legal weight to be a certified little person."

"Chris!" Mia exclaimed as she kicked her legs to fight for freedom.

"Hey it's not a bad thing. Chris Keller can climb into bed with a little person. He is open to new things," Chris commented as he walked towards the exit.

"Put me down!"

"No, we're going to get some food and forget about work for a minute!"

Mia stopped struggling when she heard there was food involved – he knew that was her weakness! Damn him!

Chris only smirked. He knew mentioning food would get her feisty self to calm down. He set her down and they bundled up for the cold, snowy day.

Mia squealed when they walked down the steps and stepped in the foot deep snow. "Ahh!"

Chris turned back and laughed loudly, his head falling back, "Try not to get yourself killed there, gorgeous." He easily maneuvered over to her and helped her up. Noticing her hard shivers, he took off his snow hat and put it on her.

"Th-thanks," Mia said with a light laugh, her nose red from the harsh cold.

Chris smiled softly and stepped back. She was way too tiny for any type of clothing of his, yet he found himself staring at her in adoration.

_Wait whoa. Chris Keller does not stare at a woman unless it's lustfully!_

He cleared his throat and offered her his arm, "My lady."

They were sitting down across from each other in a booth at a nearby restaurant. Everything on the inside was warm and cozy. They started out with two hot chocolates, Mia asking for extra marshmallows on hers. "You like to eat. Where's it all go?"

Mia giggled lightly and shrugged, "Um, I don't know. I was never asked that before." He really had a way of talking.

Chris just smirked at her reaction, both of them sipping at their hot cocoa in silence. He couldn't help but glance her way every time she was staring off somewhere else. That peacefulness in her brown eyes as she observed everything around her had him hooked, and he didn't even know it… or at least he tried to not know it. Yeah Chris had a silly crush on Haley, but it was never anything serious. He never got the chance to show something as far as love to someone before. It was scary, and he always told himself it was something you could choose to go through, but he was starting to realize love sneaks up on you in the most unexpected ways. You don't even realize it's there until you're too far in to stop yourself. He was completely vulnerable to her, and she didn't have a clue.

Mia turned her head and her eyes caught Chris's for a second before she looked elsewhere. She refused to look too long at him – Haley already warned her of his lust crazed self. She wasn't that kind of girl. She had promised Haley and herself that the only thing happening between the two was strict business which is why she was so against going out with him at first. But as the days went on, she didn't see that annoying, easily hated musician she was warned about. Yeah he was cocky and weird, but it was humorous. He was different.

And that scared her.

"So what are you doing for Christmas?" Mia asked after a moment to break the silence. She toyed at the napkin that came with her drink, her eyes finally meeting his.

Chris shrugged and took a laid-back sip of his drink, "Eh. Might bake some Christmas cookies, and watch some cheap Christmas movies that never made it to theatres."

"What about your family?" Mia asked curiously as her foot accidentally brushed his under the table. "Sorry…"

Chris smiled lightly but yet again let off an unaffected shrug, "What about 'em?"

"Well… don't you want to spend Christmas time with your family? Don't they want to spend it with you?"

"I was never one for family gatherings and neither were my parents. I haven't even seen them in… years," Chris whispered that last part, the man swallowing hard. Every time he brought it up, it stung him on the inside just a little bit more than the last time.

"Well that's not cool. You seem like someone anyone would like to spend Christmas with," Mia said with a soft smile. "Their loss."

"What about you?" he asked, trying to hide his own smile at her words. It was hard to open up about his family, and she was gentle about it.

"My parents are going to pick me up on Christmas Eve. When I was little, we would always go all the way up to the Poconos. There'd be this big fireplace in this warm, wooden cabin," Mia let out a dreamy breath. "It was amazing."

Chris laughed lightly at her description. It sounded really nice.

"But," Mia continued and ran her thumb over her cup, "we haven't done that for five years now. This year we're gonna try and get back to old tradition."

"Why did it die out?" Chris asked gently.

Mia shrugged this time and she let out a hard sigh, "My parents were never really good at communicating with me. Instead of spending time with their only child, they were too caught up in their own materialistic wants. It took me a lot of convincing to get them on board this year." She paused and let out a soft smile, "But I feel like once we're on the trip together, we'll all remember how it used to be, and maybe things will get back to before."

Mia never opened up when it came to her parents just like Chris, so for her to talk about it with him really surprised her on the inside. I mean, yeah, everyone had problems with their parents, but Mia was always secluded when it came to hers. The way he looked at her just had her spilling everything out to him.

"I'm sure they will, Catalano," Chris rasped as he licked his bottom lip. His eyes searched her face slowly, and he just had the urge to reach across the table and grab her hand. With a casual stretch, his hand came down on the table and his thumb lightly brushed hers. Their eyes met and both heart beats sped up.

_Oh no, Keller. Don't feed into it!_

_Ring! Ring!_

_Saved by the bell!_

"I'll be right back," Chris said as he stood up with his phone. "It'll only take a sec."

Mia smiled softly and nodded her head. She watched him walk out, her eyes checking him out casually.

"Sup Mama James?" Chris asked as he walked into the restaurant hallway where the bathrooms were located.

"Hey, I was just calling to make sure you and Mia were doing okay at the studio."

"We're actually out getting some hot cocoa together," and that cocky smirk of his was back on his face. "She totally wants the D."

"I know you like her," Haley answered bluntly. She rolled her eyes when Chris tried to deny it, "She's the only girl you actually let touch your favorite guitar, that's good enough for me to make the accusation!"

_Good point._

"I don't like her," Chris denied, though he was letting out a hard sigh.

Mia wondered why Chris was taking so long, but she just shrugged it off. She turned and stared out the window, watching the melting snow trickle down.

_Crap. Now she had to pee._

"No, no," Chris lied as he leaned back against the wall. "This isn't even anything special. She's not anything special. All's were doing is talking about some stupid Christmas story she had. I donno."

"You really expect me to believe that? You had googly eyes for her since the second you met her," Haley commented with a playful but truly accusing voice. "And not Chris Keller to Haley Scott googly eyes. These were like World Series, grand slam out of the park, bottom of the 9th kind of googly eyes. It's more than just sex that's on your mind, so stop being mean and hiding it because you're scared."

"You're right," Chris whispered as he looked down at the floor. "What if she-"

"Wow," Mia rasped as she looked at Chris with hurt written all over her face. Her eyes met his when he turned around and she shook her head, "Is that really what you think?"

_Don't cry, Mia. Please. He can't see you like this. Don't listen to what he has to say. Go._

"This is my fault for going against everyone's word and giving you a chance," Mia's voice cracked and she turned around.

Chris quickly hung up his phone and grabbed her arm, "Mia, that wasn't… You don't understand. Please."

Mia turned to him with teary eyes and shook her head, "I do. Have a great holiday."

And just like that, the only girl that ever looked at Chris Keller for more than just some sex toy in years was gone.

"Mia…"

**** Chia ****

It was Christmas Eve Night, and everyone was with their family. The snow from the previous days was still sticking around and it just gave off that perfect holiday atmosphere.

"Rockin' around the Christmas tree, let the Christmas spirit ring," Chris sung as he mixed the batter of his Christmas cookies. He wiggled his ass back and forth with the tune, the ringing of his phone interrupting him.

"Chris, hey," Haley said as she helped Jamie put on his Christmas hat.

"Sup James, Merry Christmas Eve," Chris teased as he looked around for a napkin. "What're you guys doing?"

"Watching movies, baking some cake," Haley laughed and she adjusted the phone on her ear. "So listen, Nathan and I want to invite you over. No one should be alone on Christmas… Maybe you can convince Mia to come with."

"Mia's hanging out with her family," Chris noted confusingly.

There was a long pause on the other end, but after a couple minutes: "Mia's parents cancelled on her last minute. Like, literally an hour before Mia was supposed to drive up there. I tried calling her, but her phone's off. I feel really bad, you know?"

Chris let the news sink in, the napkin dropping from his hand.

"Chris, you there?"

"U-um yeah! Yeah I know.." He knew how much this meant to her. He knew it more than anyone else because she let him in, and in himself he knew where to find her. "I gotta go, my cookies need to cook. I'll call and tell you if I can make it in a bit."

After he hung up, he slouched down on a chair and let out a hard breath. His thoughts were clouding his brain, and that tug in his heart was making it harder to focus. As if it were a sign, the radio host spoke up: _"And here's one of the latest Christmas covers by Tree Hill's own Chris Keller and Mia Catalano."_

Chris got up and packed up some cookies, but this time he blocked out his mind and thought with what was inside. He grabbed his laptop as well, and it didn't take him long to get to the record label. Everyone was gone for the holiday but there was one room where the light was dim, and Chris could hear the sound of a light strumming in the distance.

As he walked in, he smiled sadly at the girl that had her fingers busy with working on a tune, "Hey."

Mia's eyes shot up to the sudden voice and she frowned lightly, "What are you doing here?" The hurt in her voice was replaced with bitter sadness. "If you came here to try to apologize, then don't."

"Mia," Chris frowned and he set his things down. "I'm sorry, okay? I was being a dick. A really, really giant dick."

"Yeah," Mia set her guitar down and walked over to the table, her back facing him. "I know that."

"I made cookies," Chris rasped after a moment. She didn't move, so he walked over to her and nudged her shoulder. "Come on. Homemade Chris Keller cookies. I know you can't say no to food." And after a moment, he was able to smile slightly because she slowly turned and grabbed one.

Chris sat on the desk and pulled her close to him, "Mia…" She looked ready to pull away and he shook his head, "I did it because I was scared…"

"What? Why were you scared?" Mia asked defensively. "I was only ever nice to you. Even when everyone else told me to keep my guard up, I let you in!"

"Exactly! You told me this really nice story about you and your family, and I realized I cared. You stopped talking, but I just wanted to know more," Chris whispered as he licked his bottom lip. "That never happened before. I figured if I could convince myself that I wasn't falling for you and didn't care, I'd stop worrying. I've never been good at … _this_."

There was a long pause, and it was eating him up. Girls were scariest when they were quiet.

"It's okay to have a friend here and there," Mia whispered finally as she met his eyes. "Why didn't you just tell me?"

_Because it's more than just friendship,_ Chris thought.

"Haley told me what happened with your family," Chris said instead as he shrugged. "I figured us lonesome musician's could make something out of the holiday." He hopped off the counter and grabbed the wine and cookies, "What do you say?"

"As long as you promise not to be a dickhead ever again, then," she paused and her lips twitched up into what looked like a hint of a tiny smile, "why not?"

"And for dramatic effect," Chris smirked and turned on his laptop. He fiddled around but after a moment, he set it on the floor. "A fireplace."

Mia looked down and giggled at what she saw. His computer was set up to full screen and there was an animation of a fireplace crackling with classical Christmas music on in the background.

Chris smiled sheepishly and shrugged, "I know it's not the fireplace at your family's cabin, but I figured it was something close..."

She smiled softly and nodded her head, "That's the sweetest thing, Chris."

He pulled out a blanket and set it on the floor, both of them sitting across from each other.

"Cheers," she began as she lifted her glass of wine, "to new traditions."

"Cheers, midget," Chris laughed and their glasses clanked together.

"Just because you're a giant doesn't make me a midget!" Mia exclaimed for the thousandth time.

Chris laughed even louder and he grabbed her arms, "Does too!" She squealed and he pulled her into his lap, the brunette trying to escape his playful hold. "Too tiny for my giant muscles!"

_Ding! Ding!_

Both of their laughing died off as they looked to the left at the grandfather clock whose hand struck twelve midnight. Mia and Chris turned back to face each other after a long watch and their eyes locked immediately.

"Merry Christmas," Mia whispered.

Chris's hand came up and stroked her tiny cheek softly, his thumb caressing under her eye. He licked his bottom lip and after a moment, both musicians found themselves leaning in. They were finally listening to their hearts one hundred percent.

Her lips met his, eyes fluttering shut as they felt the holiday magic spark. Her hand came up and cupped his neck; it was like their lips were meant to fit like a puzzle. He pulled her closer in his arms, and his other hand landed on her hip.

A moment later and they pulled apart, their foreheads pressing together. Their heavy breaths were the only noise and their eyes were still shut. Chris only smiled softly and breathed her in, "Merry Christmas."

**xx There you have it. A simple yet lengthy Christmas one-shot for my writing partner in crime. Thanks for reading and Happy Holidays to all!**

**xx Check out my profile for info on my joint account with Kasey.**

**- Alyssa**


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